iRobot’s entry-level Roomba vacuum and mop combo hits a new record low

We’re racing toward the giving time of year and what better way to treat a loved one (or even yourself) than with the gift of time and convenience. Robot mops and vacuums can all but wipe out the time you spend on a chore that often has to be taken care of. An entry-level Roomba has dropped to a price that may make that proposition even more enticing for newcomers to the robot-cleaner world.

The Y011 Roomba Combo Robot Vacuum and Mop from iRobot has dropped to $160. That’s 42 percent off the regular price of $275 and a new record low.

This unit doesn’t have some of the funkier features of pricier models, such as self-emptying or advanced object detection. But it should do a solid job of keeping your floors clean.

The Y011 cleans your space in neat rows, vacuuming and mopping in one pass. It has a low-profile design to help it slink under beds and sofas, while an edge-sweeping brush helps it pick up debris from corners and edges. The Roomba uses sensors to move around furniture and avoid tumbling down stairs. If there’s a particularly dirty spot that needs extra attention, the spot cleaning feature enables the device to spin in place and keep cleaning that area for up to two minutes. On top of that, you can start an ad-hoc cleaning using Alexa or Google Assistant.

According to iRobot, this model will run for up to 120 minutes on a single charge and automatically return to its charging station when it needs more juice. The washable microfiber mop pad can be reused up to 30 times.

Meanwhile, an entry-level vacuum-only Roomba has dropped to $140, down from $250. That’s a decent deal as well, but plunking down an extra $20 for iRobot to take care of mopping as well may be a more compelling option.

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